North Gayton extension opens to traffic

Citizen Staff Reports

10/09/12

The North Gayton Road Extension opened to traffic on Oct. 6, improving access to northwestern Henrico County and relieving traffic on Pouncey Tract Road and at West Broad Street’s intersection with Pouncey Tract and Pump roads.

Henrico Department of Public Works officials recommend that motorists use caution as they acclimate to the new road and traffic patterns. Some work by contractors will be ongoing.

The 2.1-mile project has provided a new, divided, six-lane road that extends North Gayton northward from West Broad. After a bridge crossing of Interstate 64, the North Gayton extension narrows to four lanes at a relocated Bacova Drive before linking to Pouncey Tract. In addition, Shady Grove Road has been widened to four lanes between Pouncey Tract and Twin Hickory Road.

The project includes sidewalks and pedestrian and bicycle paths, and, in some areas, curbs and gutters.

The $48 million North Gayton extension project has been funded entirely by Henrico through the bond referendum approved by county voters in 2005. It was pursued as a design-build project through the Virginia Public-Private Transportation Act, which allowed the contractor to plan and construct the road to the county’s specifications for a fixed price. The Board of Supervisors in September 2007 approved a contract with a group led by W.C. English of Lynchburg. Construction started in December 2009.

The North Gayton Extension is projected to carry as many as 15,000 vehicles per day.

St. Joseph's Villa’s Flagler Housing & Homeless Services was one of three entities to earn the National Alliance to End Homelessness' Champion of Change Award. The awards were presented Nov. 17 during a ceremony at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Flagler completed its transition from an on-campus shelter to the community-based model of rapid rehousing in 2013, and it was one of the nation's first rapid re-housing service providers to be certified by NAEH. > Read more.

Richmond International Raceway's 13th annual Community Christmas tree lighting has been rescheduled from Dec. 6 to Monday, Dec. 12, at 6:30 p.m., due to inclement weather expected on the original date.

Entertainment Dec. 12 will be provided by the Laburnum Elementary School choir and the Henrico High School Mighty Marching Warriors band. Tree decorations crafted by students from Laburnum Elementary School and L. Douglas Wilder Middle School will be on display. Hot chocolate and cookies will be supplied by the Henrico High School football boosters. > Read more.

It’s going to be a cold weekend so if you’re headed out to the James River Parade of Lights or the Richmond Road Runners Club Toy Run 5K in Innsbrook, you’d better bundle up! If you’re looking for some indoor ways to celebrate the holidays, check out Three-Penny Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story for Christmas” or “To Drive the Cold Winter Away: An Irish Celebration of the Returning Light” at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church in Glen Allen. Also this weekend – the Henrico Theatre will show the holiday classic “Home Alone." For all our top picks this weekend, click here! > Read more.

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Oak Hall Baptist Church, 1877 Old Hanover Rd. in Sandston, will host Breakfast with Santa from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Enjoy pancakes and bacon for breakfast, followed by story time, pictures with Santa, games, a mission project and crafts. All are welcome. The event is free. For details, call 737-5812 or visit http://www.oakhallbc.org.
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